2026 Business Symposium
Breakout Sessions and Industrial Product Theater
Track #1
What's Trending Now?
Room A
Compressed Air Systems: Unlocking Energy Savings and Incentives
Compressed air systems often lose 20 to 30 percent of their output through leaks and other inefficiencies, creating a significant opportunity to reduce energy consumption and operating costs. This workshop explores practical strategies for improving compressed air system performance, including pressure optimization, compressor controls, leak reduction and eliminating inappropriate uses of compressed air. Participants will review real-world case studies of energy savings and learn how Ameren Illinois Energy Efficiency Program incentives make compressed air projects more attractive.
- Identify common sources of compressed air waste and inefficiencies and proven optimization measures.
- Explore real-world examples of energy savings, utility cost reductions and project incentives.
- Learn how Program Allies can help customers identify and implement compressed air improvements.
Will Wilson
Leidos, Inc. - An Ameren Illinois Energy Efficiency Program Contractor
Engineering Technical Review Lead
Beyond Efficiency: Building Automation and the Occupant Experience
This session will showcase how healthcare and education organizations are leveraging energy efficiency and building automation investments to create more comfortable, sustainable and high-performing facilities. Representatives from the education and healthcare industries will discuss their roles and share high-level project results driving impact across their organizations — with a focus on the occupant experience. Through real-world project examples, attendees will gain insight into the technologies, strategies and outcomes that drive successful building improvements while balancing operational needs and budget constraints.
- Explore how building automation projects are improving comfort, sustainability and operational performance.
- Understand the strategies and integration approaches used to optimize HVAC, lighting and building control systems.
- Evaluate the real-world impacts of energy efficiency improvements on building occupants and organizational budgets.
Innovative Heat Pump Applications for Industrial & Municipal Facilities
Heat pump technology is rapidly expanding beyond traditional building HVAC systems, creating new opportunities for industrial, municipal and other high-energy-use facilities. This session explores innovative applications for heat pumps such as high-temperature process heating, wastewater treatment and heat pump chiller systems, with a focus on heat recovery strategies that can improve efficiency and reduce operating costs. Attendees will also learn how to maximize project economics by combining Ameren Illinois incentives with available state and federal funding opportunities.
- Learn about non-traditional heat pump applications in industrial, wastewater and other high-energy-use facilities.
- Understand how heat recovery and heat pump chiller systems can improve energy efficiency and support decarbonization goals.
- Learn how to leverage Ameren Illinois incentives alongside state and federal funding programs to support project implementation.
Track #2
What's New in the EE Industry?
Room B
What Data Center Growth Means for Illinois Businesses
The rapid growth of data centers, driven by artificial intelligence, cloud computing and digital infrastructure investments, is creating new opportunities and challenges across the Ameren Illinois service territory. This session will explore emerging trends in data center development, the evolving electric grid requirements to support large business customers and related policy developments. Participants will gain practical insights into how large-scale data center growth may influence electric infrastructure investments, energy costs, reliability planning, economic development opportunities and future energy strategies for business customers in Illinois.
- Understand the drivers behind data center growth in Illinois and the Ameren service territory.
- Examine how energy policy initiatives are shaping grid planning to maintain reliability as large new loads connect to the system.
- Evaluate the potential impacts on business customers from energy affordability to resource consumption.
New Construction: Energy Efficiency from the Ground Up
The most cost-effective energy savings opportunities occur before a building is constructed. This workshop will explore how building owners, developers, architects, engineers and contractors can incorporate energy-efficient design strategies into new construction and major renovation projects to reduce operating costs, improve occupant comfort and maximize available incentives. Participants will learn how to evaluate efficiency opportunities across lighting, HVAC, refrigeration and other building systems while leveraging Ameren Illinois energy modeling support, design assistance and financial incentives to create high-performance buildings built for energy savings.
- Identify high-impact energy efficiency opportunities during the design phase.
- Understand the energy efficiency incentives and design support services available from Ameren Illinois.
- Navigate the path from concept to incentive payment with best practices for energy-efficient New Construction projects.
Peak Demand and Grid Reliability: Key Insights on Illinois Energy Policy
The Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (CRGA) is an evolution of Illinois state energy policy that substantially changes the energy efficiency landscape. This session will explore key provisions of the legislation, including Peak Demand considerations, grid planning initiatives and the anticipated impacts on utilities, customers and the state’s energy future. Participants will gain a practical understanding of what CRGA means for Ameren Illinois business customers and how its implementation may influence planning and cost management decisions.
- Understand the key provisions and goals of the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act.
- Learn how CRGA addresses peak demand, grid reliability and future energy needs in Illinois.
- Explore the expected impacts of CRGA on customers, utilities and Illinois’ long-term energy strategy.
Naveed Khan
Leidos, Inc. – An Ameren Illinois Energy Efficiency Program Contractor
Portfolio EM&V Technical Advisor
Industrial Product Theater
Eight mini-sessions will highlight cutting-edge products and technologies in the energy efficiency space. Mini-sessions will begin at 9:30 AM and run through 11:30 AM.
Session 1
Maximize Uptime With Repair-In-Place Pump Technology
Unplanned downtime doesn’t just cost money — it throws off delivery schedules, creates idle labor and puts maintenance teams in reactive mode. Routine maintenance is hard enough to schedule, let alone a full teardown. That’s why repair-in-place pump designs have become a necessity. Cognito’s electrically operated double diaphragm (EODD) pumps are built to stay in service while being serviced, helping you cut maintenance windows and avoid extended shutdowns.
Session 2
Micro-Combined Heat and Power: Bridge to Your Energy Future
Micro Combined Heat and Power (Micro-CHP) systems generate electricity as a byproduct of making hot water. Instead of purchasing electricity from the grid and separately producing heat, Micro-CHP gives you both from a single fuel source, helping reduce energy costs, increase resiliency and lower emissions. Join this session to explore how Micro-CHP works and help determine if Micro-CHP is a fit for your facility.
Session 3
Reduce Peak Power Costs With Battery Storage Technologies
With rising capacity and transmission charges, now is the time to invest in battery energy storage systems that can lower utility expenses while creating new revenue opportunities through grid services. Gain insight into battery energy storage technologies and learn strategies to help reduce peak power costs by as much as 50% with dispatchable on-site generation alternatives.
Session 4
Turn Energy Management into Financial Performance
Gazebo® is the command center for energy management, helping facility managers, engineers and leadership turn insights into action and projects into measurable cost savings. It’s not just a tool; it’s part of a partnership that helps identify opportunities, prioritize initiatives and ensure project success.
Session 5
Take Control: Smart Industrial Lighting & Controls
Take control of your LED investment with smarter lighting and integrated controls. This session will explore how Luminaire Level Lighting Controls (LLLC) can reduce controllable operating costs, simplify installation, improve operational flexibility and provide greater visibility and control over when, where and how lighting is used throughout your facility.
Session 6
Energy Analyzer Tool for Industrial Customers
The Business Energy Analyzer is designed to help commercial and industrial customers understand and act on their energy usage data. Attendees will learn how the tool works, what insights it provides and how it fits into the broader suite of Ameren Illinois programs. The presentation will highlight real examples of how Ameren customers are using the Analyzer to identify savings opportunities and track performance over time. Attendees will leave with a clear picture of how to access the tool and put it to use in their own facilities.
Session 7
Optimizing Industrial Sustainability Through Smart Dust Collection Management
This session covers how industrial facilities can optimize existing dust collection systems using automation tools like intelligent motor control panels, motion sensors, and system interlocks instead of defaulting to costly new equipment when capacity limits are reached. Attendees will leave with practical guidance on spotting optimization opportunities, estimating energy savings, and pursuing utility incentives or sustainability grants.
Session 8
Smarter Buildings Start with Automation: Advanced Scheduling Software
Industrial facilities consume vast amounts of energy, but knowing where that energy is going — and whether efficiency improvements are actually delivering results — can be challenging. This session will show how cloud-based energy information systems and building automation system meter data can help identify savings opportunities, separate process and non-process loads, and measure the impact of energy improvements over time.
Questions?
If you have additional questions, please reach out to our Business Call Center at 1.866.800.0747 or email IllinoisBusinessEE@ameren.com.